D c22s02
Summary List of stories Phase I Day: Honor, Duty, And Family << chapter 21 Chapter 22 of 75 The Relief Of Returning Home chapter 23 >> << previous scene Scene 2 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text In the early evening, Luna laid quietly on comfortable bedding in the library, half-dozing with Antares Mīrus curled up against her body, the toddler deep asleep. A pacifier was in his mouth and Gymbr was clutched tightly up against his chest, the baby's wings fluttering every so often in his sleep as Scrivener sat quietly side-by-side with Twilight Sparkle on the other side of the wide room, the two going over the enormous scrapbook of letters and information they had obtained from the other layer. So far, only Twilight knew the details of their trip: Celestia was at the Temple of the Sun in central Equestria, and Odin was... not in Ponyville, and not out at their cottage. In all likelihood, the once-god was back in Valhalla, but it was impossible to know. He came and went as he pleased, after all, and very few ponies had the courage or thought it was within their rights to question the once King of the Aesir about where he planned to go and what he planned to do when he left the little village or its surroundings. Scarlet Sage had already headed back home, and Pinkamena had vanished at some point, likely to head home herself. She had obviously missed her twin, however little she wanted to admit it. She had stayed with them until they had reached the library, however, and Twilight had come running out to greet them all with Antares, who had been beaming happily... until he looked at his father, skidded to a halt, and pointed at him with a hoof, shouting in a scared voice: "Hurt! Hurt!" Confusing at first, and somehow scary for Scrivener, who thought wildly at first that his presence was hurting his son somehow before Antares had run up to him and hugged his leg, babbling away before he'd deciphered the phrase: "Daddy hurt!" among the rambles. And Scrivener had quietly picked the child up, nuzzled him and hugged him close, then rocked him slowly in his forelegs, soothing him until Antares settled worriedly, even though he plainly didn't believe when Scrivener tried to tell him that he wasn't hurt at all. And now, here they were, a few hours later: after telling a good part of the story, Luna had curled up with her son to rest a little while Scrivy and Luna spent a little time together. Spike was over at Rarity's, and with Celestia gone for at least a few days, it meant they had the library to themselves... well, and the sleeping toddlers. Scrivener smiled a little despite himself at this thought, even as Luna grouchily opened an eye and stuck out her tongue at him, only reinforcing the notion that she was a foal in an adult's body. Then she sniffed and buried her face against the pillows, ephemeral mane spilling over her features and curling down over Antares, who shifted quietly in his rest and curled closer to his mother with a quiet murmur. Twilight glanced up at this, then she smiled faintly, shaking her head slowly and murmuring: "It really is amazing, you know. Antares is a better behaved foal than most, but without his Mom and Dad around, he sure can be hard to cheer up. But... he did better this time, I think you'll be happy to know." "Thanks." Scrivener said softly, and then he glanced quietly towards Twilight as she studied him softly, before he smiled a little, drawing his eyes along her quietly: "Funny. After only a few days... I got so used to seeing the old you. You, as a unicorn. Also much smaller than me." "I wasn't that short." Twilight said grouchily, and Scrivener laughed a little before she smiled and elbowed him firmly, saying quietly: "And you really saw Trixie, huh?" "And meddled with her, yes." Scrivener smiled a little, glancing quietly over at Luna before he shook his head slowly and murmured softly: "Scares me, though. These Clockwork ponies... what if amongst them, we have to see these... distorted versions of... and what if the Prophet..." He broke off, leaving all his questions unfinished, but it only added to the tenseness that rippled through the air for a few moments before Twilight Sparkle shook her head slowly, saying quietly: "But they aren't us. From what you described from Visionary... they're like... puppets. Homunculi... both the shapeshifters, and even the other ponies that he..." Scrivener closed his eyes and nodded slowly, and Twilight added almost hurriedly: "But not... not her. And... not you, Scrivener. I already know what you're thinking... but you're not a toy of Valthrudnir's. Not anymore than you're a monster." The male smiled wryly at this, however, looking over at her quietly as he said softly, raising a hoof: "And in my mind, most often I see myself as nothing but a mishmashed, mangled amalgamation of Tyrant Wyrm and earth pony. What does that say about me, Twilight Sparkle? It doesn't take a genius to figure it out." "And yet you were you when you spoke to Visionary, weren't you? You described it so vividly, Scrivener, and you never once said claws... you said hooves." Twilight replied pointedly, and Scrivener frowned thoughtfully at this, looking down as Twilight looked hesitantly over at him, then she shook her head and smiled a little, changing the subject awkwardly: "So I... really had a big brother friend?" "I think it was big brother best friend for life or something." Scrivener replied after a moment, and Luna mumbled something, Scrivy glancing over at her and catching the wisp of memory before he corrected: "Forever. Not for life, forever. But yeah... you two seemed close, and he was married to a winged unicorn named Cadence." Twilight Sparkle smiled a little at this, looking silently over her shoulder at her own wings and flapping them slowly once. "And Little Luna and Nice Celestia." She laughed despite herself, shaking her head slowly. "It's amazing. All the research we've started doing on the layers, how they parallel and reflect, how events are tilted so that in some way, they must all resemble one another at some point, even if only through a fun-house mirror... but I never had a big brother best friend forever. The closest thing I had to that..." She halted, then smiled again over at Scrivener Blooms. "Was you." "Yeah, except Shining Armor was handsome, big, polite, friendly, and related to you. Also you liked him. Back then I was... well, I wasn't handsome but I wasn't as ugly as I am now, either. I can say with certainly that I was rude, unfriendly, and definitely not related to you." Scrivener paused thoughtfully, then he glanced up moodily at the ceiling. "Unless you're pure-blood, like I am. Isn't that funny? I'm technically a pure-blooded unicorn, just... hornless." Twilight sighed a little, then she shook her head and smiled a bit over at Scrivener. "Would you believe that I've never really known my own genealogy? For all I know I could be descended from Starswirl the Bearded or his apprentice... or maybe my ancestors were potato farmers, I don't know." "Potato farmers. You'd make a lame farmer. You'd try to schedule everything and then get angry at your crops when they didn't keep to your agendas and dig them all up to try and start all over again." Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight rolled her eyes before she shouldered him firmly, then closed her eyes and dropped her head against his shoulder. Scrivener looked at her softly, reaching up and brushing her mane quietly out of her eyes, and Twilight smiled a little before blushing and closing her eyes, but not pulling away. A small tremble ran through her body, and Scrivener studied her quietly before she sighed a little, shaking her head and reaching down to quietly flick the tome closed, saying softly: "I want to blame you and Luna for never letting me go... but somehow, I know that really... this is my fault more than it is yours. I can't let go of you two, even though I should... you have a son with Luna. Doesn't that change things?" "Does it?" Scrivener asked softly, and Twilight grimaced a little, looking up at him hesitantly before she closed her eyes, and that was enough of an answer for the earth pony as he looked up at the ceiling and said quietly: "I am sorry, Twilight. Luna and I both are, really... because... we don't want to let you go, no. We don't want things to change, either, even though everything has changed..." He quieted, looking away and scraping a hoof against the floor slowly as Twilight looked up at him silently. "It comes down to what you're comfortable with, though. Either way, I'm going to be your friend, and I'm always going to care for you, deeply. Deeper than I should, probably." He smiled a little over at her, locking eyes with her silently. "You're family. You'll always have a place with me and Luna." Twilight nodded slowly, looking down and murmuring softly: "I just feel... displaced and... a little jealous, maybe. I mean, I want to say the stupidest things: things like 'it was fun, but now it's over,' and stuff like that. Because it wasn't about the fun, being with you two like... we once were. It was about being safe, and cared for, and having a sanctuary. But I worry... not about myself, but about messing up Antares. I worry about being normal. I worry about the difference between the Twilight Sparkle who was, the Twilight Sparkle who lived for two years without you, and the Twilight Sparkle who I am, who is now, who... I don't even know who she is, really." She quieted and smiled a little, looking up at him before she reached up and touched his chest silently. "I'm very grateful to you and Luna. For being my friends, for showing how much you care about me. For quieting all those fears I was ever just... meat... to you two. And for... waiting. I want you both to know that... I won't... I only need a little more time. Just a little more time, to figure everything out..." She closed her eyes, and Scrivener nodded slowly as he gazed down at her silently, then leaned over and kissed her forehead gently. "Alright, Twilight Sparkle." "Alright, Scrivener Blooms." Twilight smiled a little, and she let herself settle against him more comfortable. He wrapped a foreleg around her, and she listened silently to the beat of his heart, curled securely and comfortably against him, letting the comfort of it drive away all her worries, fears and anxieties for now before she sighed a little and said softly: "Drama and monsters and Clockwork and... Valthrudnir. It's all piling on at once, isn't it?" "Life does that." Scrivener shrugged and smiled a little, then he looked moodily down and rubbed slowly at his face, murmuring quietly: "To be honest, though, my two biggest concerns at the moment are setting up the anchors to ensure the Clockwork World can't get through to the core reality, just in case Prophet is trying to bring everything crashing down... and... figuring out what Visionary did to me. Why it was so important to her to pass it on... so important that she was willing to die to do it." Twilight nodded slowly, looking up at him quietly before she said hesitantly: "Well, we could... explore your mind, yeah? Luna and I could both tether into your memories and emotions..." "Hell no. Stay out of my head." Scrivener retorted, and Twilight rolled her eyes and gave him a flat look before the male smiled a little and glanced down. "No... it had something to do with when... Visionary died. I saw her memories, I saw her story... but when she died, that's when it really hit me hard, whatever she did. And I'm worried that it's not until Clockwork World attacks that this ability is finally going to show what it's meant to do..." Twilight nodded again, then she sighed a little and murmured: "Alright, but... the offer always stands, Scrivener. I'm glad to delve into your mind and try and experience and decipher things for myself like that, too. You... you don't have to be afraid of showing me who you really are. I know who you are. I know as much about you as you do about me." Scrivener gave her a wry look, but Twilight only looked back up with a quiet laugh, saying softly: "It's true, you know, you big idiot. I pay attention to all my friends but... I've always paid special attention to you and Luna. Always. Besides, you... you get uncomfortable when talking about yourself, so I don't like to bring it up." Scrivener Blooms shifted a little at this, nodding after a moment with a grunt as he said finally: "Alright, you might... have a small point there. But okay, fine, Twilight. What was the first book I published?" "Your first book was Rose Thorns, but you were first published in a magazine. Then anthologies after that." Twilight smiled slightly, looking up at him with amusement. "Asking me questions about books as if I wouldn't know the answer, seriously. What's wrong with you?" "What's wrong with your face?" Scrivener retorted crankily, and Luna giggled sleepily as Twilight rolled her eyes, slapping at him even as she continued to comfortably rest against him, and Scrivener hesitated for a moment before looking up and asking quietly: "Do you remember why I survived the Tyrant Wyrm's corruption?" "You said you were evil." Twilight said softly, and Scrivener smiled a little before she continued in a quiet voice: "But I don't believe that. Just because even in... the worst of darkness, you can find beauty and pleasure... I don't think it makes you evil, Scrivener. You're... you can be a little scary at times, yeah. Especially when you snap, and all that bottled-up anger comes out. But you're not evil." Scrivener looked down quietly, then he nodded slowly and muttered: "Still. It makes me wonder, you know, the fact that I seem to be made of the perfect materials for Valthrudnir's machinations to take advantage of. Maybe I'm some piece of his ridiculous puzzle, too." "Do not even joke about that, Scrivener Blooms." Luna said quietly from across the room, sitting slowly up, and Scrivener smiled awkwardly at her as she looked at him for a few moments silently, and then sighed and shook her head, giving a faint laugh. "I... I apologize, my family. Perhaps it is just Scrivy's emotions wearing on me and everything else in the world turning so abysmally, but... even with my beloved little colt here, I still feel..." She quieted, then shook her head and glowered over at Scrivener and Twilight. "Now, thou art both being whiny dramatic school-fillies and doomsayers, so I command thee both to shut up. I am very tired, but... I think home is also beginning to call to me, Twilight Sparkle. As a matter of fact, I think it calls to us all. Therefore, I demand thou to put together Antares' baby bag, and we shall all leave shortly for our little cottage, and thou shall spend the night with us." "Okay." Twilight said softly, smiling, and Luna stared stupidly as Scrivener looked down at her with dumb surprise before the violet winged unicorn shrugged and slipped away from the stallion, looking amusedly over at Luna. "You can't have honestly expected me to not expect you to have that request, right? Because I've been waiting since you got here for you to basically order me to come back home with you, and well, with Spike gone for the night and Celestia out as well, there's... not really anything for me to do here." She paused at the stairs, smiling a little before she shook her head and said softly: "Everyone's finding their families, their... special places, you know? Where they really belong in this world... but it's not as if we're drifting apart, either. Even with Avalon, AJ and Rainbow are both always still glad to lend a hoof to anypony in need and especially their friends, and Pinkie Pie's always bouncing around, sharing smiles and joy and everything with everypony, and Fluttershy has the Phooka and helps look after the foals..." She quieted, looking down and smiling a little. "And Rarity and Spike of course. I'm glad they have each other, even if it means it gets... a little lonely around here without Spike around as often. But that's okay... we still all see each other. We haven't... gone on different paths. We're still always there for each other when we need to be. We just all have our own jobs, our own duties, and we're all finding... where we really belong. But... we are all doing it, too." Twilight quieted... then she laughed a little and shook her head slowly, blushing a bit. "Anyway, I'll be right back. Sorry, it's... been a long week without you two around." "Aye." Luna said softly, gazing thoughtfully up after Twilight with a soft smile... and then she shook her head and looked meditatively over at Scrivener Blooms before asking grumpily: "Why does thou get to cuddle and open up with Twilight Sparkle and I get a snatched and desperate kiss from Little Luna that was more a prank than anything else? And why did the damnable Princess wait until that moment in time to be fun?" "Purely to frustrate you, Luna. The entire universe is against you and it was all a big joke by the Norns." Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna nodded violently a few times, huffing and stomping her hooves as Scrivener sighed and shook his head, muttering: "Megalomaniac." "I would much rather pummel the world than rule it." Luna retorted moodily, sitting back grumpily on her haunches before softening as she gazed down at Antares Mīrus, murmuring quietly: "Besides, look, Scrivy. We have a son, who is like the entire world to me as it is now." Scrivener smiled a little at this, nodding slowly before he turned his attention towards his discarded armor, and Luna sighed tiredly before she turned her own eyes grumpily to her piled-up gear. They dressed back in their equipment, repacked their things, and Luna complained but took one of the saddlebags so Scrivener could put the baby carrier on his other side, and the sapphire winged unicorn quieted as she carefully fitted her son into this as he continued to sleep. She inspected his snoozing body, ensuring he was snug and comfortable, before he burbled quietly in his dreams... and Luna smiled faintly as he rose his empty hooves, turning her eyes to Gymbr and lifting the doll gently. She passed it over to the baby, and Scrivener gazed softly over his shoulder as his son clung quietly up against the toy with a mumble, before Luna glanced hesitantly towards Scrivener and asked: "Thou... does not see anything wrong with the toy? I had thought that since thou had been given some... gift of sight..." "Yeah, but I doubt Gymbr has anything to do with Clockwork World or Valthrudnir, even if what Zecora suggested was true... hell, especially if. Good or evil, I'm pretty sure we'd be eager to bring down Valthrudnir." He paused, then grimaced a little, looking moodily over at Luna. "But I just realized something. If-" "Do not even suggest that." Luna said firmly, raising a hoof and looking disgusted. "I do not believe the accursed Jötnar could be anything but what he was... not good, not evil, simply a self-obsessed, unforgivable and murderous child." Scrivener grunted in agreement, even as he looked moodily down, thinking thoughts he didn't entirely want to think before he hurriedly shook his head out when Luna glowered at him moodily. "Thy name should have been... Stupid." "And your name should have been..." Scrivener winced when Luna's horn glowed as she leaned towards him threateningly. "Uh... pretty. Lady." "Pretty Lady. That is even more insulting than if thou had insulted me!" Luna said grumpily, then she leaned over and poked him firmly in the flank with her horn, making him wince and stagger to the side as she muttered: "Damnable Scrivener Blooms. Thou art damnable. And stupid. Beetle." "I know. I know." Scrivener said tiredly, and Luna nodded a few times before they both looked up as Twilight came down the back stairs, Antares' baby bag hanging on her side as she smiled a little at them, and a simple, smaller satchel on her other side. "Oh, good. Luna was about to start pummeling me, baby or not." Luna sniffed disdainfully at this, tilting her head back before she grinned when Twilight said mildly: "I can always go back upstairs for a few minutes..." Scrivener glared at her, and the sapphire winged unicorn laughed before she shook her head and replied easily: "That is a generous offer, Twilight Sparkle, but nay, thou does not much to quell my rage. Come now, let us head home. Scarlet Sage is likely wondering what we are doing by now, after all." Twilight nodded with a smile, and she paused only a moment in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder to tilt her horn and turn off the lights in the building. She closed the door silently behind her as she slipped into the dark night air, breathing slowly and then glancing up at the star-littered sky above, watching as clouds silently floated past like thin wisps of ghosts as Luna murmured softly: "Oh, beautiful night... yes, I am home." They turned quietly, heading to the gates of Ponyville, and Nibelung and pony guards both saluted them as they pushed the doors slowly open, Luna pausing a moment to ask curiously: "How goes duty here? Have there been any sightings of hostile forces?" "Nope nope, fancy-corn." one of the Nibelung spoke up, saluting and nodding with a smile, and then it winced when one of the ponies nudged it firmly, the dwarf glowering before it added grouchily: "Well. Silly-pony think he see big black drake. But we no see big black drake." Luna frowned at this, leaning forwards apprehensively, but she was relieved when the Pegasus pony in question glared and snapped at the dwarf: "I did! It was the size of a damn carriage, chasing after some kind of wild animal... how the hell did you all miss it?" "Oh, I no know, flying-pony. Maybe because gates was closed?" The Nibelung leaned over, seizing the Pegasus by the wings and lifting it into the air by these, making it squawk and flail furiously. "You spend all day with head in clouds, cloudy-pony. No wonder you see funny things." Luna sighed and rolled her eyes as the Pegasus shook free and glared at the dwarf, who grumbled back before the sapphire winged unicorn turned her eyes to the Pegasus: "The size of a carriage and chasing a wild animal. Is there anything else thou can recall?" "Yeah, it moved really funny. It was skittering all.. really fast." the Pegasus replied after a moment, then he dropped low to the ground, stretching his limbs out as far as they would go before making a crab like movement, and the Nibelung laughed at him as one of the other ponies slapped his forehead, but the Pegasus continued to look completely serious. "But fast!" Luna grunted, then she looked at the guards and said moodily: "It may be a marsh drake, lured out of its usual hunting grounds by the promise of fresh food. Be careful, if it is such a creature, then that wall will mean as much to it as a short hedge." The Nibelung stopped laughing at this, but Luna only smiled at them politely before she turned and headed onwards, Twilight wincing a bit as Scrivener followed on her other side, before the violet mare asked awkwardly as the gates were hurriedly closed behind them: "Should we... maybe not walk through the forest if..." "Oh, 'tis probably nothing, Twilight, and even if it is, the creature will grab its prey and then either get lost in the forest or hurry back to its own territory. They are nasty creatures but nothing any of us could not handle, anyway." Luna said dismissively, shaking her head briefly as they continued down the path into the Everfree Forest, the winged unicorn looking thoughtful. "Still, for such a creature to wander so far out of its preferred hunting grounds... it must have been a very enticing animal or a very hungry predator." Twilight didn't look exactly pleased or reassured by this, and she was quiet for a while as they headed into the forest. Her apprehension only grew as the darkness around them seemed to sway and whisper, before she jumped when a pair of eyes opened in the shadows... but the Nightmare they belonged to only laughed quietly before soothing gently: "Oh, fear not, it is only us... we heard the mistress had returned, and we were eager to see her and speak to her... to ensure that she was alright..." "How nice." Luna said wryly, but she smiled all the same as she glanced back and forth at the Nightmares on either side of them: at least three, pacing silently around them through the shadows on the side of the bath, sinuously twisting around trees as their eyes glowed eerily. "Normally thou art not so helpful, nor so polite, though, so I cannot help but suspect an ulterior motive..." "We know, mistress, but fear not. We merely wish to escort you home. And believe us when we say we are relieved to see you back..." one of the other Nightmares said kindly, flatteringly. "You are what keeps us safe, after all. Keeps us strong, and comfortable in this world. Why, without you, beloved mistress, without the help of the alliances you have forged and the legions of darkness you command, we would have all been nothing but a few weak, scattered creatures in a world not our own, easily preyed-upon by the beasts of this realm..." Luna visibly enjoyed the heavy compliments, but her eyes were still suspicious even as she didn't reply before Scrivener winced a little when one of the Nightmares leaned in towards Antares, saying softly: "And look at the young foal. So handsome, so strong, blessed by night..." Luna's eyes narrowed at this, and then she said curtly: "He was cursed by Nightmare Moon. Do not mistake me, I recognize that aye, to be able to fly will be good. But she tried to turn my own son into a thrall, and that is no blessing. Those wings do not come from a place of help, but of hindrance." "We mean no disrespect, sister." one of the Nightmares said softly, and they bowed their heads respectfully as Luna grumbled a little under her breath, and Scrivener glanced moodily back and forth as well. "We would never wish harm nor insult upon your child, after all. We must serve all your family, as we serve you. And we look forwards to watching him grow up... to observing beloved Antares Mīrus, and what glory he brings to the night..." The ponies were silent as Antares shifted quietly in his sleep, murmuring and shivering a little, and then Scrivener looked up and asked finally: "Has anything unusual been going on around the forest, or anywhere around Ponyville or Canterlot?" "Not at all, brother." one of the Nightmares replied smoothly, the others smiling and nodding in agreement. "There are of course strange things going on in the country, but they are no stranger than usual, and far and wide... the forest has been quiet, and peaceful. Canterlot is being steadily rebuilt, and higher and higher grow the marble walls and towers as we slip and slide through the endless catacombs below. They make a wonderful home." Twilight frowned at this, looking towards the Nightmares and unable to stop herself from asking: "What do you mean, home?" The Nightmares laughed quietly, and then one of them said softly: "They are deep, and dark, and safe. Nothing has lived there for centuries, and nothing has died there for even longer than that. And our sustenance... vital force and emotional energy... they will be in such great supply that it will be as if we are... plants, growing comfortably in a greenhouse." "As long as our numbers do not grow too great, your kind will not even know our kind exists beneath you." added another Nightmare, smiling softly, and then it added softly: "And our duty is to protect the ponies. Our oaths are sworn to you and your kind... we cannot break such a bond, not without great penance and punishment." Twilight still looked apprehensive, but Luna only shook her head slowly, muttering over her shoulder: "Fear not, Twilight Sparkle, 'twill be a long time in the future before the creatures settle into their cozy new home. And while they tend to speak with serpents' tongues, they cannot lie to us, especially about the promises they have made to me." Luna paused meditatively, adding wryly: "Besides. They will be like rats living beneath the dragon's aerie, feeding off its scraps... Celestia, after all, will be sitting in Canterlot right above their heads, and they have no worse foe." "But she is not our foe, sister." one of the Nightmares said softly, bowing its head politely and earning a curious frown from Luna. "As we are your allies, she is our ally, and we would consider her a sibling as well. She is the dawn-bringer, but although we cannot exist in her ardent day... we all the same are the necessary reflection, part of the deep darkness that gives her meaning. We cycle. We are necessary to one-another, especially in this world." Luna looked moody for a few moments, and then she nodded thoughtfully and smiled slightly despite herself, saying finally: "I suppose... this is true, aye, although thou may be overplaying thy necessity. Even without thee there would still be a night." "We know, sister, but we make the night safer: we have value to you, do we not?" one of the other Nightmares said eloquently, and it smiled after a moment, adding quietly: "And of course we cannot declare ourselves worthless and unnecessary, especially to you, mistress and sister." Luna only nodded slowly, and Twilight lowered her head musingly as they continued quietly onwards, Scrivener Blooms feeling Antares seeming to settle a little more at his side. The Nightmares vanished one by one into the darkness as they neared their cottage, however, leaving with only smiles and without goodbyes, and as they slowly approached the front door, Twilight said quietly: "I can see now more about why you saved them, Luna. It's... very strange seeing it from this angle, but it's like when I first saw Fluttershy with the Phooka. It was weird at first but... the more she told me about it, the more she explained it to me and let me see her with them..." "Aye, exactly." Luna smiled slightly over her shoulder, halting in front of the door before she said quietly: "Thou hast my thanks, Twilight Sparkle. I have been waiting for far too long for someone apart from Scrivener to tell me that my idea to bring the Nightmares and demons across reality was not a stupid and selfish one." "As if you need more reassurance about your bad ideas." Scrivener said softly, and Luna rolled her eyes and shoved the door open with a grumble, Scrivener and Twilight both smiling as they followed the winged unicorn into the house. Scarlet Sage glanced up from where she was sitting in the living room, and Discombobulation slowly peered his head around the corner before he said mildly: "Oh look. Luna's gone crazy again. But it seems that this time he recovered a little faster than usual, that's very nice to see." Scrivener sighed a little, and Luna firmly bopped Discombobulation on the nose with her horn as she passed, the Draconequus wincing and grabbing this as he sat back and glowered grumpily at her. Then she turned a smile to Scarlet Sage, asking softly: "How art thou feeling, now that this is all said and done, Scarlet Sage?" "Good, I think... good." Scarlet answered softly, and the Pegasus smiled a little glancing down and shaking her head slowly. "I mean... I know it wasn't anything like what any of us expected, but it really... I mean... I wish I could have done more. Is that... normal?" "It never changes for me, anyway." Luna replied quietly, looking down moodily, then she shook her head briefly before asking finally: "What did thou do with the film canisters?" "Oh, I dropped them off already to be developed." Scarlet Sage smiled a little, nodding, and Luna smiled approvingly back with a grunt. "I made sure to give the usual order, too. Private batch, you or I will pick them up and pay for it then, he can look at them but not copy them or anything." "Aye, good. I trust young Featherweight, but I shall still pummel him horribly if he tries to keep any of the photos again. He may be tall as a oak but he's as gangly as a reed." Luna grumbled, and Scrivener snorted in amusement as Scarlet Sage sighed and shook her head. "I know, I know, but I am a very nice pony! It is not my fault that silly ponies try and do silly things. Besides, I saved his life after he snapped a picture of that demon. He should be thanking me for the opportunity to do him a favor." She nodded firmly, and Discombobulation snorted, sitting back and saying moodily: "Do you know why I do all the references around here? Because yours are either way too obvious and clearly based on over-stretched assumptions, or worse, they're far too obscure for anyone but a few other people to get." Scrivener and Luna both simply looked at him for a moment, and then Twilight turned around and headed towards Antares' room, calling mildly: "I'll put the baby's stuff away and then put on coffee. You two should probably change out of your armor." "Yes, mother Twilight." Scrivener and Luna muttered at the same time, and Antares giggled sleepily in his carrier as Discombobulation snorted in amusement. The violet mare only ignored them, however, and Scrivener grumbled under his breath as Luna gently lifted Antares free before passing him gently to Scarlet Sage, who smiled softly and hugged her baby brother tight up against her body. The two armor-clad ponies headed towards their room, and the Draconequus sniffed before he looked mildly over at the Blood Seer, saying dryly: "So. Sucked any blood lately, Marceline?" "What?" Scarlet Sage frowned, then she glowered at him. "Wait, is that a vampire or something? Because I'm not a vampire and I don't even like the taste of blood, thank you." Discombobulation only huffed in response to this, saying seriously: "Maybe you just haven't found any blood that likes you, did you ever think of that? You don't know something until you've tried it, and even if you try it once, twice, thrice, trying it again may be what makes you like it, because of some subtle difference, some tiny flaw, some perfect twist or tick or tat. For instance, I bet you've never stuffed potato chips up your nose: you may tell me you wouldn't like it. You may think you wouldn't like it. You may be almost absolutely sure that it would be painful and unpleasant. But until you go and stuff those potato chips up your nostrils, you don't know, with absolute proof, that you don't like stuffing potato chips up your nose." The chimerical creature paused, then he held out a hand, and a bag labeled 'Potato Chips' appeared in a puff of smoke. "So I have this bag here..." "Why don't you try it first?" Scarlet Sage asked mildly, and Discombobulation frowned before the Blood Seer said pointedly: "I bet you've never done it before yourself, after all. For all you know, maybe it'll be the most fun thing in the world. And you can tell me it wouldn't be. You can say it would be uncomfortable and crazy. But I thought that's what you were all about... confusing, crazy, chaotic experiences?" "You are so much more wily than Dilbert." Discombobulation said with relish, and then he popped open the bag and reached in, slowly pulling out a chip. He inspected this for a few long moments, then rose his head slightly, guiding the chip in close... and tossing it easily into his mouth, chewing reflectively before he said mildly: "You really thought I was going to do it, didn't you?" Scarlet Sage only smiled wryly, as Twilight Sparkle strode past, and Discombobulation waved the bag of chips at her. The violet mare only smiled, however, shaking her head as she headed into the kitchen. "Thanks, but I'm going to put on coffee." "You could have both. And since apparently nostrils are out of the question, what about ears?" Discombobulation asked mildly, and then he huffed when Scarlet Sage only sighed tiredly. "Go sing a sad song about your french fries. Although Luna would probably look quite fetching in a suit and cowboy boots." Scrivener cocked his head at this as he walked back into the room with Luna, and the sapphire winged unicorn snorted as she headed across the room to flop down in her usual spot on the bedding. Then she grumbled and wiggled around in a circle as Scrivener Blooms rested back against the kitchen divider, and Discombobulation looked thoughtfully back and forth between them before he said moodily: "My references are getting all mixed up. All I know is that Scrivener Blooms doesn't noodle her forelegs enough, but she could very well be a shape-changing dog. But she has the attitude and attractiveness of a certain Princess from Space that happens to be... Lumpy." The chimerical creature nodded firmly as they simply looked at him, and then he sighed and rolled his eyes, raising his eagle talon and saying flatly: "Look, it's stuck in my head, okay? What, chaos entities aren't allowed to like certain things? Here. Watch this, I'll even show it to you." The Draconequus snapped his fingers, and there was a swirl of light before it formed into the distinct, cartoonish shape of a figure wearing a blue shirt and shorts over gangly limbs. His features were oddly flat, staring through a white, face-hugging hat with two ears. For a moment, the ponies could only stare, and then the figure suddenly turned and punched the Draconequus across the face, knocking him flat on his side as he snapped: "Hey! Stop referencing me everywhere. It's creepy, and you're a stalker. Don't be a stalker dude. Stalking is not cool. Not. Cool." Discombobulation only laid prone with his limbs half-raised in the air, drooling a little, and then the odd figure puffed out of existence. And a moment later, Luna burst into laughter, chortling: "Oh, I liked that very much! Do it again, Discombobulation, do so do it again!" The Draconequus only mumbled weakly from the ground before grabbing with a wince at his bruised cheek, sitting slowly up as he grumbled under his breath: "Well, perhaps I have been... overusing it a little lately. Some hero. More like. A jerk. Big. Jerk. I don't like that cartoon anymore." With that, Discombobulation huffed and crossed his arms, glaring grouchily at Luna as she continued to laugh before he snapped his fingers, and a roll of duct tape appeared in midair and wrapped violently around her muzzle several times, clamping her jaws shut and making her wheeze in surprise through her nostrils as Scrivener coughed and tried to hide a grin. "You're much prettier this way, Scrivener Blooms. Much less obnoxious, too." Luna glared at him, and the Draconequus cleared his throat before he carefully stood up and saluted, saying mildly: "Sorry, but the mission ends here. Celebrity boxing tonight stars Captain Picard and Darth Vader, and I have front row tickets aboard the Enterprise. Scotty, beam me up." And with that, a shining cylinder of light surrounded the Draconequus as he stood still for a moment, then suddenly posed with a bright grin, holding up his hand and waving them back and forth before he puffed out of existence. Luna huffed, grumbling and promising revenge as she scrabbled at the duct tape wrapped around her muzzle, and Scrivener decided to simply enjoy this moment of calm as he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight Sparkle as Scarlet Sage sighed and smiled. Antares burbled softly in her lap, and for a few moments, everything felt strangely at peace as the odd little family rested together in the gentle chaos following the turbulent week. Category:Transcript Category:Story